Effective December 2014, Colombia will begin charging a reciprocity fee to citizens of Canada arriving at an airport in Colombia.

Effective December 2014, Colombia will begin charging a reciprocity fee to citizens of Canada arriving at an airport in Colombia.

The fee of approximately $88 CAD (or 160.000 Colombian pesos) per person is valid for a single entry into the country, and is payable by international credit card or debit card. If made in cash, the payment must be in Colombian pesos. A dedicated counter will be available to Canadian citizens who must pay the reciprocity fee before proceeding to immigration control.

The fee does not apply to Canadian citizens who:

are under the age of 15 or over the age of 78

hold a valid visa to enter Colombia

are connecting through a Colombian airport to another country

are headed to Cartagena or to the archipelago of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina

hold a diplomatic passport and are travelling on official duty (this includes delegates)

Passengers who are unable to pay the fee will not be allowed into Colombia.